With ADVANCE – Drop Shape, we have developed a new, innovative software package for measuring contact angle and determining surface free energy (SFE). ADVANCE – Drop Shape is a common software platform for all our laboratory instruments and mobile solutions for analyzing the wetting of solid surfaces.

We have developed a unique operating concept for our new ADVANCE software in which the intelligent user interface organically follows the workflow of a measurement. The relevant functions for each particular step in the measurement are arranged in a 2 x 2 tile matrix and scroll automatically into focus. Only the functions relevant in the context are visible on the screen. Like a modern tablet, ADVANCE achieves to work without ribbons or pop-up windows.

The database design with quick access to measurements and results is also clearly arranged. This includes prepared and flexibly modifiable templates for new measurements which ensure exact reproducibility of measuring conditions. You see the associated image for each measurement when viewing the results and you can subsequently re-evaluate the image at any time using different parameters or methods. There is no need for the tedious saving, loading and management of image files.

With just a few steps, you can create automatic sequences, which include sample positioning, the dosing of various liquids, drop shape analysis and calculation of the SFE. Every single step in such an automation can be repeated as often as necessary. It can also be connected with waiting times or linked to events, such as the dosing needle entering the live view. This provides great flexibility in adapting the automation to the particular analysis.

Robust video analysis with innovative background recording

The analysis of the video image of a drop on a solid surface is the most important step in contact angle measurement. For ADVANCE – Drop Shape, we have optimized the image evaluation performance so that even images with low contrast, reflections or interference due to other objects can be analyzed precisely and reliably. The software evaluates the image automatically and ensures objective results which are independent of user intervention. In doing so, ADVANCE – Drop Shape sets new standards in drop shape analysis.

The live image displays the analyzed drop shape and the contact angle very clearly and continuously updates the image content. A special innovation for measurements carried out with our Drop Shape Analyzers is the automatic background recording of the camera image. This even takes place when no measurement is running. As with modern video recorders, you can pause the live image and go back in time to analyze the preceding period or to save it as a video file. This prevents valuable information from being lost, for example if no measurement has been started at the instant of wetting.

Many scientific evaluation methods for SFE

ADVANCE – Drop Shape works with all common, scientific models for calculating the SFE from contact angles. We have stored the necessary physical liquid data in a comprehensive substance database, which you can expand at will. The precise measurement of surface tension of a pendant drop using our Drop Shape Analyzers enhances the functional scope and enables the interaction between solid surface and liquid to be comprehensively analyzed. This makes it possible for you to characterize the adhesion of a coating or adhesive bond, for example.